Competition
by Dafna
Summary: The rating may be a bit much. Just how does Boba Fett deal with new competition?


I do not own anything here except for my original character. I like to play around with different styles of writing dialogue, for this story I chose the script form.  
  
Competition  
  
The palace was as it usually was, cold, dark and full of life just waiting to be tossed to the rancor. At least, that's what it was like to the owner of the palace; none other than the 'great' Jabba the Hutt. Cold, dark and dank was how he liked it. As well as plenty of entertainment, the band and his array of dancing girls, and, of course, an abundance of on-lookers to witness the underground rancor tear apart and then consume another living creature.  
  
All of that was fine and well for most of the creatures that dwelled there, but for one, it was a place of business, not cheap entertainment. Jabba usually had a hold on everyone there by use of fear, but usually does not mean always. It had happened before, and it happened again; some brainless fool had stolen credits from the gangster. Not a lot had been stolen, but just enough for Jabba to put up a reasonable bounty for his capture.  
  
It wasn't as if he didn't want to take the job, but it wasn't enough for him. Boba Fett had definitely made a name for himself in the palace, if he had nowhere else to be, that's where one could find him. The price for his services were incredible, but nothing that the Hutt couldn't pay. Therefore, it almost surprised the bounty hunter when the rather small bounty was placed. He had already decided that the job was not worth the effort.  
  
When the merchandise was brought in, Fett was there, watching and waiting. The bounty hunter who brought in the thief was someone Boba Fett almost recognized; that meant one of two things, either they had managed to keep a very low profile (Boba Fett had read-outs on every bounty hunter known in the galaxy), or was new to the game. But what was most disturbing, was that the stranger was also wearing the traditional Mandalorian armor; and it's common knowledge across the galaxy that that kind of firepower didn't come easily. Quickly deciding to continue watching and waiting, Fett witnessed the show before him.  
  
Bounty Hunter: With a voice low and steady, "I have brought this Twi'lek in response to the bounty that has been placed on him."  
  
Jabba: He also noted the Mandalorian armor, "You're too short to be the great Boba Fett. Besides he is standing right over there."  
  
Bounty Hunter: Not looking where Jabba points to, "You're right, I am not Boba Fett. My name is Reina."  
  
Jabba: "I have not heard of you before."  
  
Reina: "That is because I have only started to make a reputation for myself. I'm sure you will soon know just who I am."  
  
Jabba: And just.who are you?  
  
Reina: "The bounty hunter who responded and acted accordingly. As you can see," she looked down at the Twi'lek tied on the floor, "he is in good condition."  
  
Jabba: Stalling, "Hmm, you wear the same kind of armor that Fett does. I-"  
  
Reina: "I have earned the right to wear this just as he has. Now, the Twi'lek."  
  
Jabba: "Of course, how could I have forgotten."  
  
Reina was well aware that Boba Fett would have been present at the palace, she had to mentally prepare herself if any confrontation were to happen. After getting paid for her services, she started to make her way back to her ship, Shiik 237.  
  
Boba Fett knew if he was going to get any information on this new bounty hunter, he better do it fast. He had to get as much as he could. That was when the realization suddenly came to him; he had seen her before, although it was a very long time ago. As the memory played in his head, he made his way to catch up to the other bounty hunter.  
  
Fett: "I know who you are."  
  
Reina: "Everyone in there does, remember? I announced my name." She turned away and continued walking.  
  
Fett: "I remember you from a long time ago, Reina Zallona."  
  
Reina: Stopping, "So you do remember that little run in."  
  
Fett: Nodding, "You should stay, maybe he'll put up another bounty today."  
  
Reina: "One that you'll jump on first no doubt. Besides, I have better things to do than watch you flirt with the dancers."  
  
Fett: A little taken back, "Just how long were you watching?"  
  
Reina: "I've been keeping tabs on you for quite a while. I'm almost surprised you didn't figure out that you were being watched.  
  
He didn't like being watched, in any way, shape or form. Knowing that she had successfully pulled it off, deepened his respect a notch.  
  
Fett: "And just why were you 'keeping tabs on me', as you put it?"  
  
Reina: "Simple, find your toughest competition before they find you. I may not be the first to admit this, but I may be the first to say out loud, you are every bounty hunter's biggest issue."  
  
Fett: "Issue? Let's walk and talk, as they say. Just what do you mean by that?"  
  
Reina: "What I mean, is also very simple. You're just too good, or lucky.either way. Other bounty hunters can't really compete, or they try and then fail."  
  
Fett: He stopped, "Luck has nothing to do with it. It's how you do your job, not how lucky you may be."  
  
Reina: Walking again, "I know that luck has nothing to do with anything, I never said I believed those delusions. I was only stating that the way you go about your business is too much, for some."  
  
Fett: "Too much.for you, perhaps?"  
  
Reina: "Don't get your hopes up, I plan to stay in the game for a good long time." They reached where Shiik 237 and Slave I were docked. "Now if you don't mind, I have other business to attend to. I'm sure, you do as well."  
  
She didn't wait for a response, only boarded her ship and prepared to leave the backwater planet known as Tatooine. When she was safely above the atmosphere, she coordinated the next destination, Kamino. 'Good information is worth just as much as good merchandise.' She thought. 'There are things I need to know about Boba Fett in order to keep my plans.'  
  
***  
  
Boba Fett stood still for a moment to two, thinking about what had just happened. He made sure to note the unusual amount ambition she had, and also the lack of fear she showed when they were talking. That had not happened before, not even with his temporary partners. One of which did have an incredible amount of ambition, just not the courage to follow up on those; giving the advantage to Boba Fett.  
  
After standing around for a little while longer, Fett boarded the Slave I. There wasn't a reason to stay at the palace, not even to see how the thief got what he deserved. When Slave I got into space, Reina's ship was already gone. But that wasn't what he wanted; she was right, he did have other business to take care of. As quickly as she had come into his mind, she left it; but every now and again, the image returned. And that was not helping his concentration.  
  
***  
  
It had been awhile since that day; Boba Fett knew that he would meet up with the mysterious Reina again. But when that would happen, was anyone's guess. As destiny would have it, that turned out to be sooner rather than later.  
  
Boba Fett had landed his ship in the wastelands of Tatooine, Slave I was in need of repair. Another bounty hunter, Bossk, thought he could catch him off guard. He quickly learned his lesson.  
  
Boba Fett's focus was deep into the task at hand; his ship's well being was his very life. Anything goes wrong, and he could be dead within seconds. Even though most of Tatooine was wasteland, many creatures thrived there. There were jawas, who were constantly annoying Boba Fett with their massive Sand Crawlers; kell dragons, and of course the Tusken Raiders. In fact, it was those Tusken Raiders that interrupted his work on the Slave I.  
  
Boba Fett wasn't about to let those primitive "people" damage his ship, or him. But even with his mass array of firearms, the odds were slightly against him. The Tusken Raiders had him out-numbered, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. After all, any good bounty hunter knows how to make the odds curve in the right direction. A spear from one of the Sandpeople bounced off the Mandalorian Armor, giving Fett the opportunity to shoot him with his blaster. Another was trying to come from behind, Fett turned around quickly and prepared to shoot again, when another shot killed the offender. Looking back over his shoulder to the direction where the shot came from, stood Reina on top of a hill not too far away.  
  
Reina: "I heard their war calls, so I decided to come investigate."  
  
Fett: "It wasn't needed."  
  
Reina: "Looked like it was from up here."  
  
Fett: Returning to his work, "Leave. Now."  
  
She turned around and left without another word. Boba Fett still couldn't concentrate, he had to get more information on this person Reina. So, he put down his tools and walked up to where she had stood to shot the Tusken Raider. When he looked over the hill, he saw the Shiik 237, but it had a lot of damage to it. Fett's presence did not go unnoticed.  
  
The sensors in their helmets could pick up the slightest sound from quite a distance. So she was aware that Fett was there. Ignoring him, she got to work on her ship. He thought about shooting her right there and then, but that wouldn't be "fair". There were only so many ways to kill someone wearing that kind of armor; one way, as he had witnessed before, was decapitation. Reina was getting fed up, she hated to be watched almost as much as Boba Fett did.  
  
Reina: "What do you want? I left you alone. The least you could do is leave me alone."  
  
Fett: Thinking, "I wanted to see.if you needed any help."  
  
Reina: Looking up in suspicion "I have it all under control. Besides, you have your own ship to take care of."  
  
Fett: "You helped me, now I've come to see if I can help you." He knew, that she knew that there was an interior motive.  
  
Reina: Slowly, "Alright." She looked around. "Here, you can put this back together." She tossed him a little black box.  
  
Boba Fett caught it and turned it over in his hands, looking to see what was damaged. Using a vibroblade as a lever, he wrenched the top off. He looked at the blade as an idea came into his head. He looked at the other bounty hunter, who was welding a new plate on the outer hull of the ship. 'Swiftly, without a struggle,' he thought.  
  
Boba Fett dropped the black box in the sand, walked up behind Reina and grabbed her forcefully around the shoulders, and held the vibroblade at her neck. She dropped the tool, but didn't fight back; she only took hold of his arm around her.  
  
Fett: "Aren't you going to resist this?"  
  
Reina: "There's no use trying to avoid the inevitable. It was only a matter of time before you found a way to kill me."  
  
Fett: "Overestimating is as deadly as underestimating."  
  
Reina: "You can't intimidate those who don't fear death."  
  
Fett: "I almost admire your nobility, but after all, competition is competition."  
  
He slid the blade cleanly through her throat. She gasped for air a couple of times, then went limp in his arms. Boba Fett dropped the former bounty hunter and the blade. Without looking back, he went back to his Slave I, and returned to space.  
  
At the control panel, Fett was looking through the files he had on all the other bounty hunters. Without another thought in his head, he added the word "dead" to the file named Reina Zallona. 


End file.
